Which U.S. stock-market crash began on October 24, 1929, and helped usher in the Great Depression?

The Wall Street Crash of 1929 began on October 24, 1929, and helped usher in the Great Depression.

The crash unfolded through a series of severe trading days on the New York Stock Exchange, including Black Thursday on October 24 and Black Tuesday on October 29. Share prices had risen rapidly during the 1920s, and many investors bought stocks with borrowed money. When prices turned down, forced selling amplified the decline.

The crash was a major financial shock, but historians do not treat it as the sole cause of the Great Depression. Banking failures, monetary policy, falling international trade, debt burdens, and reduced demand also played important roles. The episode is often used as a warning about leverage and speculative bubbles.